Yield performance and stability of elite groundnut varieties in multi-location experiments in central Uganda - A short communication

Abstract

Groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea. L.) is a grain legume crop grown by resource poor farmers all over Uganda, for food and household income. In Central Uganda, farmers are still planting traditional cultivars, which do not respond well to agronomic manipulation and have a low yielding capacity. The study set out to evaluate the yield performance and stability of elite groundnut varieties in the Serenut series 1R, 2, 3R, 4T and a local test variety, Red beauty, in field experiments in four on-farm sites in Gomba district and one on-station site in Wakiso district, both found in central Uganda. The varieties were planted out in a Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD), with three replications at the different locations. The dependent variables included number of pods, pod dry weight, kernel dry weight, and kernel yield in kg ha-1 . ANOVA results indicated significant (p<0.001) differences in yield parameters as a result of variety, location and their interaction. Serenut 2 was the most productive in all yield parameters across locations while the reverse was true for Red beauty. Kyegonza 1(Gomba district) was the most productive site in all yield components and MUARIK (Wakiso district) the least. Serenut 1R was ranked as stable in grain yield